According to a new study, men who eat a lot of red meat are at higher risk of the painful gut condition called diverticulitis that causes abdominal pain, nausea and constipation. This condition can lead to complications such as tears or blockages in the colon.

The findings were published online in the journal Gut on January 9. The results were based on a long-term study that included more than 46,000 male health professionals. According to these findings, men who ate the most red meat were 58% more likely to develop diverticulitis compared to those who ate the least.

Dr Andrew Chan, a senior researcher and a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, stresses on that the findings don’t prove cause-and-effect. He also added that on the other hand there are already reasons to think about cutting down on red meat. Heavy consumption has been tied to higher risks of heart disease and certain cancers, Chan pointed out.